Music-leaf turner.



No. 759,022. PATBNTED MAY 3,1904.

W. H. sAPPoRD, JE.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30,1903.

N0 MODEL.

LMA/1Mb" .l

' ATTORNEYS Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT EETCE.

WILLIAM H. SAFFORD, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,022, dated May 3, 1904.`

Application led November 30, 1903. Serial No. 183,135. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SAFFORD, Jr. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Music-Leaf Turner, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to music-leaf turners, and admits of general use, my more particular object being to produce a device of the kind in which is embodied a maximum of simplicity, compactness, and general eiificiency combined with a minimum of complicated and expensive mechanism.

My invention has certain specific advantages of structure and action hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section upon the line 2 2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical central section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Upon a piano 1, provided with a cover 2, is mounted a clamp 3, provided with a jaw 4:, which is engaged by a thumb-piece 5 of a clamping-screw 6, this screw being provided at its lower end with a cushion 7, of resilient material, preferably rubber, rigidly secured uponV the screw and preferably molded thereupon. Integrally mounted upon a bearing-plate 8 is a frame 9, preferably having the form of a harp and provided with lugs 10, 11, 12, and 13 integral therewith. rIhe bearing-plate 8 is connected with the clamp 3 by means of a thumb-screw 14 and may be moved to diiferent angles by iirst loosening the screw 14 then changing the angle of the bearing -plate 8, and finally tightening the screw 14. A supporting-wire 15 is threaded through the harp 9, as indicated in Fig. 1, and upon this supportingwire 15 theback cover of a musicbook may rest.

Mounted upon the harp 9 is a bridge 16, to

outer sheets or back of the music.

which is rigidlysecured a standard 17, provided at its upper end with a plate 18, secured rigidly thereto. Mounted upon the bridge'16 at each side of the standard 17 are vertical rods 2O 21, each free to rock in an arc approximating a semicircle, the rod 20 being provided with an arm 20, integral therewith and free to swing, the rod 21 being similarly provided with an arm 21u, likewise free to swing. A stiff rod 19 is threaded through the plate 18 and is immovable relatively thereto. The music-leaves are shown at 22, 23, 24C, and 25, the leaves 23 and 24 being movable and the leaves 22 and 25 being immovable, these being the By means of clips 26, 27, 28, and 29 the several leaves are connected with the stiff rod 19 and the swinging arms 2Oc and 21C. A bar 30 is rigidly connected with the lugs 12 13, as indicated in Fig. 2, and-upon this bar is wound a spiral coil 31, of resilient wire, this coil being provided centrally with a loop '32, which presses upon the harp 9. The outer ends of the wire 31 are provided with hooks 31a 31, which engage the notches 35 36 of the respective keylevers 33 34. The outer ends of these keylevers are provided with finger-buttons 37 38, whereby the levers may be depressed. The tension of the spring 31 keeps the levers 33 311 normally raised, as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3. The levers 33 34 are provided, respectively, with notches 39 40, which may be respectively engaged by the arms 20 21a, integrally connected with the respective rods The swinging arms 2Oa 21a are provided with knobs 20b 21h, serving as handles whereby the arms may be manipulated. The swinging arms 20 21 are tensioned by means of the spiral springs 37 38 and normally occupy the position indicated in Fig. 2. By graspin g the knobs 2Ob and 21b and moving them toV the right or into the position indicated in Fig. 1 the tension of the springs 37 38 may be increased by causing the swinging arms 2Oa 21 to engage the respective notches 39 40. The levers 33 34 being in turn tensioned by the spring 31 cause the arms 20a 21a to click into the notches 39 40, so that the arms are held in the position indicated in Fig. 1 notwithstanding the tension of the springs 37 38.

IOO

rI`hc action of the notches 39 40 and of the arms 2O1L 21u for engaging the same is such that the movements of the rods 2O 2l are entirel y independent of each other, so that either or both may be actuated at will.

My invention is used as follows: Suppose the parts to occupy their normal positions, as indicated in Fig. 2, the music is mounted, as above described, the sheets 23 24 being secured by the clips 27 28 to the swinging arms 2()c 21. One or both of the knobs 20h21" are then moved to the right, so as to engage the levers 33 34, whereupon the leaves 23 24 will occupy the position shown in Fig. l. The musician now proceeds with his duties, and when he desires the leaf 23 to be turned he merely depresses the finger-button 37. rIhe lever 33 is thereupon moved downward, so that the swinging arm 2()1L is released. The spiral spring 37 thereupon turns the shaft 2O a distance approximating a half-revolution, thus causing the swinging arm 2OC to carry the leaf 23 around to the left and into engagement with the leaf or back 22. W'hen the musician desires the leaf 24 to be turned, he depresses the other push-button 38, which acts similarly to the one just described and causes the leaf 24 to be moved around to the left.

I/Vhile I show only two of the swinging arms 2OlL 21 and levers 33 34, I do not limit myself to this number, for obviously the number should be commensurate with the number of sheets to be turned; neither do I limit myself to the exact structure shown.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent* In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a plurality of vertically-disposed rods, means for connectingthe upper portions thereof with the leaves to be turned, spiral springs connected with said rods and with a frame for tensioning said rods and normally causing the same to turn in predetermined directions, swinging arms connected with said rods, keylevers provided with portions to be engaged by said swinging arms, whereby said key-levers may release said arms, a supporting-rod, and a spiral spring loosely coiled thereupon and engaging said key-levers separately, said spiral spring being provided with a central portion engaging a part of the framework for the purpose of tensioning said levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W ILLIAM. H. SAFFORD, Jn.

W'itnesses:

WAL'roN HARRISON, EvnnARD BoL'roN MARSHALL. 

